Rotary pump assemblage



y 1959 G. HARTMANN 2,884,863

ROTARY PUMP ASSEMBLAGE Filed Aug. 20, 1956 wen/A2 A 77- ORA/6Y5.

United States Patent ROTARY PUMP ASSEMBLAGE Gilbert L. Hartmanu, Whitefish Bay, Wis., assignor to Milwaukee Faucets, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 20, 1956, Serial No. 605,127 2 Claims. (Cl. 103-103) This invention relates generally to improvements in fluid propelling pumps, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction of rotary liquid pumps especially of the centrifugal type.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved rotary pump assemblage which is simple and compact in construction and highly eflicient in operation.

It has heretofore been common practice in the manufacture of centrifugal pumps having axial inlets and peripheral outlets communicable with intervening rotors, to cast the main rotor confining easing of each pump in separable sections adapted to be parted in order to insert or remove the rotor which was normally confined within the casing. Since it is necessary for maximum efliciency, to provide minimum clearance between the rotor and the casing interior, it was heretofore necessary to accurately machine the inner easing surfaces on opposite sides of the rotor at considerable cost, and the divided casing construction also required the provision of intricate cores during the casting operations which frequently resulted in the production of defective castings especially when the pump units were relatively small and compact as in sump pumps for removing liquid from drainage pits or the like.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide an improved centrifugal pump unit in which a cast metal main casing can be readily produced at minimum cost with the aid of simple cores and with least machining operations.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an improved rotary sump pump wherein the major portion of the main casing may be formed of cast metal while the rotor is effectively confined and operable with minimum clearance between parallel sheet metal disks attached to the casing.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide an improved vertical rotary pump assemblage having a central upper fluid inlet and a spiral peripheral discharge, and wherein the intervening fluid propelling rotor may be conveniently inserted or removed from within its normal confining casing.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide an improved centrifugal liquid propelling pump which may be accurately produced in various sizes and for diverse uses at very moderate cost, and which may also be readily assembled or dismantled.

These and other more specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the features constituting the present improvement, and of the construction and operation of a typical commercial rotary pump embodying the invention, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary and part sectional side elevation of a vertical sump pump installation comprising a pump and its driving motor, the pump unit of which embodies the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the sump pump unit of the installation shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged central vertical section through the sump pump unit of Figs. 1 and 2, the section having been taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the resilient snap rings which may be employed to detachably secure the lower rotor confining disk within the main casing of the pump.

While the invention has been illustrated and described herein as being advantageously applicable to vertical centrifugal sump pumps adapted to be operated by overhead electric motors or the like, it is not the intent to restrict the use of the improved features to such pump assemblages; and it is also contemplated that specific descriptive terms employed herein be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

Referring to the drawing, the improved rotary sump pump shown therein, comprises in general a unitary main casing 6 having an upper bearing hub 7 and an annular lower discharge conduit 8 spaced axially from the hub 7 and connected thereto by an integral Wall 9 provided with radiating inlet passages 10, the casing 6 having annular upper and lower openings 11, 12 respectively on the opposite sides of the conduit inlet and disposed coaxially of the hub 7; a flat upper disk 13 permanently secured within the casing 6 at the upper opening 11 and having therein a central inlet duct 14 in open communication with the passages 10; a fiat lower disk 15 disposed parallel to the upper disk 13 and being detachably secured to the casing 6 within the lower opening 12 by a snap ring 16 coacting with an annular casing groove 17; and a pump impeller 18 revolvable between the disks 13, 15 and having a driving shaft 19 journalled for rotation within a sleeve bearing 20 carried by the hub 7.

The one-piece main casing 6 is preferably formed of non-corrosive metal by casting in a mold, and due to its generally inverted cup or bell shape and the absence of integral internal walls or partitions, the interior of this casing 6 and of the conduit 8 can be readily produced with the aid of simple cores which can be easily removed from the final castings. In order to accurately finish the casing 6 it is only necessary to bore the hub 7 for proper reception of the guide bearing 20, and to likewise finish the coaxial openings 11, 12 and the groove 17, and the bottom of the cast casing 6 may also be provided with integral supporting pads 22 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 for maintaining the shaft 19 in upright position. While the hub 7 is of approximately cylindrical formation and is provided with an external recess 23, the inlet passages 10 of which there may be any desired number may be disposed either radially as shown or otherwise, and the annular lower discharge conduit 8 is preferably of spiral formation and gradually enlarges approaching its outlet 24.

The upper and lower fiat disks 13, 15 are preferably formed of durable and non-corrosive sheet metal and of circular shape adapted to snugly fit the upper and lower casing openings 11, 12 respectively. After the casing 6 has been cast and internally cleaned, the upper disk 13 may be cemented or otherwise permanently attached within the opening 11. The central duct 14 of the top plate or disk 13 may be circular or of any other shape, and the lower plate or disk 15 is imperforate and should snugly but removably coact with the lower casing opening 12 which adjoins the groove 17. The snap ring 16 which is adapted to coact with this casing groove 17 to maintain the lower disk 15 within the opening 12, has its opposite ends 26 directed inwardly as in Figs. 3 and 4, so as to enable the resilient retainer ring v16 to be contracted sufiiciently to enable it to be withdrawn from the groove 17, but any other means for detachably holding the lower disk 15 in place may be substituted for the spring ring 16.

The pump impeller 18 may also be formed of durable and non-corrosive metal and has a bottom plate 28 provided with integral spiral vanes 29 and with an integral bored hub 30 firmly attached to the lower extremity of the shaft 19 in any suitable manner. The lower surface of the bottom plate 28 is cooperable through slight clearance with the lower ciosure disk 15, and the upper edges of the spiral vanes 29 are likewise cooperable with the upper disk 13 when the pump is in operation, see Fig. 3. The lower portion of the shaft 19 adjoining the hub 30 is journalled in the bearing 20, and the upper end of the drive shaft 19 may be connected by a coupling 31 to the lower extremity of the power shaft 32 of a propelling motor 33 mounted upon an upright supporting sleeve or tube 34 the lower end of which embraces the casing hub 7 and is provided with an annular bead 35 coacting with the recess 23 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The motor 33 may be an electric or any other suitable type adapted to revolve the impeller 18 at relatively high speed.

When the improved sump pump assemblage has been properly constructed and assembled as hereinabove described, it may be installed with the pump unit completely immersed in a drainage pit or the like, and operated as follows. When the motor 33 is operated, the interconnected shafts 32, 19 will revolve the impeller 18 causing it to withdraw liquid from the pit through the inlet passages and duct 14, and to deliver a constant stream of the liquid from between the disks 13, into and through the spiral discharge conduit 8. This action will continue as long as the motor 33 is operating and an ample supply of liquid is available, and if it becomes desirable to inspect the propelling rotor when the pump has stopped, it is only necessary to remove the lower plate 15 by releasing the retainer ring 16 and to uncouple the coupling 31, whereupon the impeller 18 can be freely removed through the lower casing opening 12.

From the foregoing detailed description of the construction and operation of the improved sump pump shown by Way of illustration, it will be apparent that the present invention in fact provides a rotary pump assemblage which is simple and compact in construction, adapted to be produced at moderate cost, and which is also durable and efiicient in operation. The various parts of the improved unit may be readily constructed by simple molding and casting methods, and with minimum machining operations, while these parts may also be conveniently assembled and dismantled. The bell shaped casing 6 with its open lower portion can be finished on a lathe or boring mill, while the impeller confining disks 13, 15 can be formed of sheet metal and applied to the casing openings 11, 12 respectively so as to insure proper clearance for the revolving impeller 18; and by utilizing corrosion resistant materials in the production of the various elements, long life of these pumps is assured.

While the snap ring 16 provides effective means for detachably holding the lower disk 15 in place, any other means for accomplishing the same result may be substituted; and it is not essential to have these pumps disposed vertically since they will also operate in other positions providing that the inlets 10 are in communication with abundant liquid being pumped. By providing a sealed housing for and mounting the propelling motor 33 directly upon the pump casing 6 as shown, a completely submersible unit results which can be conveniently applied to drainage pits or removed therefrom, and the improved pump assemblages may be produced in various sizes and for diverse uses and have proven highly satisfactory and successfulin actual commercial use.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction of the rotary sump pump herein specifically shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A rotary pump assemblage comprising, a unitary upright bell shaped cast metal casing having an upper bearing hub and a lower spiral fluid discharge conduit of larger diameter spaced axially from the hub and connected thereto by an integral downwardly diverging Wall having fluid inlet passages therethrough, said casing having therein upper and lower concentric bores located on opposite sides of the conduit inlet and disposed coaxially of said hub, a flat annular sheet metal upper disk snugly fitting and permanently secured within said upper bore and having a central fluid inlet duct in open communication with said passages, another flat but continuous sheet metal lower disk disposed parallel to said annular disk and snugly fitting said lower bore to completely seal the bottom of said casing, a fluid impeller revolvable within said casing between said disks and having a fiat circular bottom plate rotatable in close proximity to said lower disk and spiral vanes likewise rotatable in close proximity to said upper disk and being provided with an integral central hub extending upwardly through said duct and in close proximity to said bearing hub, a propelling shaft secured to said impeller hub and being journailed in said bearing hub, and means for detachably securing said lower disk within the adjacent casing bore to permit removal of said impeller only through the bottom of the casing.

2. A rotary pump assemblage comprising, a unitary bell shaped cast metal casing having a bearing hub and a spiral fluid discharge conduit of larger diameter spaced axially from the hub and connected thereto by an integral diverging 'wall having fluid inlet passages therethrough, said casing having therein axially spaced concentric bores located on opposite sides of the conduit inlet and disposed coaxially of said hub, a flat annular sheet metal disk snugly fitting and permanently secured within one of said bores and having a central fluid inlet duct in open communication with said passages, another flat but continuous sheet metal disk disposed parallel to said annular disk and snugly fitting the other bore to completely seal the adjacent side of said casing, a fluid impeller revolvable within said casing between said disks and having a flat circular side plate rotatable in close proximity to said continuous disk and spiral vanes likewise rotatable in close proximity to said annular disk and being provided with an integral central hubextending through said duct and in close proximity to said bearing hub, a propelling shaft secured to said impeller hub and being journalled in said bearing hub, and means for detachably securing said continuous disk within the adjacent casing bore to permit removal of said impeller only through the side of the casing remote from said hubs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,791,547 YOder Feb. 10, 1931 1,855,274 Arutunofi Apr. 26, 1932 2,165,808 Murphy July 11, 1939 2,179,730 Ruthman Nov. 14, 1939 2,312,526 Curtis Mar. 2, 1943 2,373,609 Stahl Apr. 10, 1945 2,626,086 Forrest Jan. 20, 1953 2,747,513 Atkinson May 29, 1956 2,766,696 Lung Oct. 6, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 251,985 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1948 558,040 Great Britain Dec. 16, 1943 

